Desert Crabzard
Reason for evolution: some Ungoslontus scorpio found that their claws could be used to incapacitate prey without the help of their tail, and so rather than continue wasting precious energy on lifting their tail they now use their strengthened claws to attack and defend, the tail meanwhile is now simply used to prop them up higher so they can use their claws on predators trying to pluck them from above.
Found in Zone G U.cancrum feeds on a variety of terrestrial musculates including A.ammotryponus, A.deserta, G.elachistus, G.pidimatreximus, and U.saharus which is pretty much the same things as their ancestor, the main difference being they use their claws to kill their prey rather than their tails, the elbow spines have reduced as the claws are also used to hold prey in place, the main death for prey captured by a Desert Crabzard is either being ripped apart by the claws or dying of something being severed.
Due to less of a need for the tail as a weapon it is now shorter, which means they not only spend less nutrients on developing it but it also allows it to be instead used as a ‘third leg’ to prop themselves up, this ability is used to fend off predators that would usually be able to pick them up from above where scorpio couldn’t reach, it also makes them look bigger to intimidate predators. In contrast to the tail the claws are now much stronger and due to their better grip theoretically they could be used to hold things, they also have ridges on the inside which allows them not only to hold on better but also causes more damage to things grabbed. The horns are also a bit broader which allows them to dig a bit, this is mainly used to fling sand at opponents for defense. Like their ancestor their abdominal region has armor plating to protect it from the hot sands of Zone G.
The fins have, similarly to the other lineage its ancestor birthed, become simple legs so it may move more effectively, the strengthening of the claws comes from the bones inside them becoming thicker and getting denser which gives them more structural integrity, more muscles are also present to increase the actual force exerted upon whatever unfortunate organisms find them in its grasp. Their size tops out at around 25 cm due to the reduced tail length compared to their ancestor. Their feet are rather rudimentary consisting of muscle around a piece of bone that originated as two of the four spindles in the ancestor’s foot, the leg bone consists of 3 shortened spindles that do not stick out, and one very long spindle (technically two fused together) that sticks out to create a little ‘toe’, the toe exists to provide traction on the dry land the desert crabzard calls home.
Eggs are laid a bit deeper in the sand than their ancestor to protect them from the heat of the sun, mating is rather unceremonious and they are physically different enough from their ancestor for interbreeding to not occur naturally in most cases, the young are not cared for whatsoever and dig a lot more than the adults, feeding on carrion and scraps from larger predators until they are big enough to take down their prey, they prefer to stay on the rocks as their ‘toe’ provides more traction there than on the sand.
